hey all, its another box!

Decided to try using my table top router to make a box and it turned out fairly well. Has a few rough edges but I learned alot from making it this way. I can’t remember the name of the wood but the light golden color is its natural color. The piece of red wood is actually the same wood but i used some red stain on it. I ended up lining the box with a nice red textured felt which turned out well – and hides the rough spots i had in the corners. I also mounted a set of magnets on the red stained pieces of wood to help hold it closed.

Word of caution for anyone else as new to wood working as I am. If you try to use a table top mounted router to route out a box, be very careful about how you hold the wood and keep a firm grip on it. The router bit will try to grab the wood and on a piece like this, it is fighteningly easy for it to grab and try to fling the piece of work and if the bit busts through the side where your hand is, well…. I have two suggestions you can try (and I am sure others have more). If you are making the box from a larger piece of wood and will be cutting the excess off from the sides, then route the opening out first so that you have a bigger, heavier and easier to control piece of wood, then cut the excess off. The second suggestion, especially if dealing with a smaller piece of work, is to use a clamp to hold the piece. This will help move your hands away from the immediate area of the wood and if you do slip up and the piece jumps and busts through the side, then it gets the clamp and not your hand. A new bit and/or clamp is much less expensive then a chewed up hand and a visit to the emergency room.

-- Turning good wood into even better wood jewelry. DWWoodCreations.com